Driver Shot in Leg on I-35 by Bullet From Nearby Target Practice

Aug 7

A man driving south on I-35 near Harris was shot in the leg Thursday morning when a bullet pierced the driver’s side door of his vehicle.

It prompted a large law enforcement response and an investigation into target shooting near the interstate.

Around 10:40 a.m. on Aug. 7, a passenger in the vehicle called 911 and reported that the driver had been struck by gunfire while traveling near the Harris exit in Chisago County. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the round appeared to have entered from outside the vehicle, striking the driver in the leg.

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Deputies from the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office, Troopers from the Minnesota State Patrol, officers from the Department of Natural Resources and emergency medical crews responded to the area. Deputies in the vicinity reported hearing active gunfire nearby, which they described as consistent with rifle target shooting.

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Deputies and DNR Officers canvassed the area on foot and deployed drones to search for the origin of the shots. They located three adult men on private property adjacent to the freeway who were shooting rifles at a target positioned in the direction of I-35. Investigators estimate the distance between the shooters and the location of the vehicle to be more than 1,500 feet.

All three men cooperated with deputies at the scene. No arrests had been announced as of publication.

The driver, a 48-year-old man from Duluth, was taken to Regions Hospital in Saint Paul with a non-life-threatening leg injury. Three other people were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting but were not hurt.

The Chisago County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation with support from the State Patrol and DNR. Authorities have not said whether any charges are expected.

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